Vehicle door



'VEHICLE DOOR July 1, 1931,.

Filed Nov. 8, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 1 Fig. 1

41 ,31 33 "s2 ze Patented July 7, 1931 *UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcEfGIOACCHINO CLAYICCHIOLIAND EUGENIO GESCHI, AOF TURIN,- ITLALY" VEHICLE:Doon

Appiiation med Notember 8, 1929,`s' er'ia1 No. 405,755, and in Italy May1, 1929. n

rvThis invention has `for its object av door for bodies of vehicles;Vwhich may be opened by turning it right or left at will.v

Such an arrangement provides each side of the body Yof a vehicle with asingle door which affords access both to front and to rear seats. It isythus possible kto .simplify the construction ofthe vehicle body andmoreover to ensure convenient access tothe whole interior while at thesame time improving the appearance of the vehicle.

' One embodiment of the invention is illus# trated by way of example inthe accompanyingdrawings in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation ofa doorV and' adjacent body structure, 'looking toward the inner face ofthe door; y f

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof; H

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of door locks and of their connectingmeans, the

same being on anenlarged scale;

Fig. 4 shows a pair of the upper door locks with the parts shifted;

Fig. 5 shows a socket hinge in open position and thedoor latchedthereto;

l Fig. e Shows the socket hinge with the,

door unlatched therefrom; and j Fig. 7 is an elevation of the hinge inopen position with the adjacent portion of the veao hicle body in edgeview. A door in accordance with this invention is provided both on itsfront edge and 'rear edge vwith locks, the bolts of whichengage inrecesses in a hinged element pivoted on the vehicle body and these locksare provid' ed `with inter-locking means actuated by the one of thelocks which is operated to open the door, said means'holding in theirrecesses the bolts'of locks which are located on the edge of the doorabout which it is intended to turn. In this mannerit is possible toturn' the door about either edge since it remains rigidly connected tothe hinge element which is located at this edge and which supports thedoor while permitting its rotation. f j f As shown in the drawings ythedoor 1 which maybe of any approved; construction comprises on one of itsedges a top lock 2 vanda bottom lock '3 having bolts4,' 5 respectively.The bolt 4 of the upper lock 2 is actuated by the square spindle 6 ofhandle 41 and by arm 7 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and4). The bolt 5 of thel lowerlock 3 located on the same door .edge as the upper lock 2 is actuatedfrombolt 4 by a bell' crank lever 8 pivoted at 9 in the said upper lock,and rod 10 and bell crank lever 11 pivoted at 12in Vthe lower lock body3. Each bolt 4 4 and 5-h-5 is provided with a spring 19 or 19j,respectively, acting to close it.

OnV its opposite ledge the door 1 has an upperlock 2 and a lower lock 3(Figs. 1 and V3)'. The bolt 4 of the lock 2 is actuated by the arm 7,v`'solid with arm 8 actuating rod 10, arm 11 and bolt 5 of the lowerlock 3.

Intermediate the two upper locks 2 andV 2 is provided a rod 13 whichextends into the Vcasings of said locks and has head end portions 14 and14 movably mounted in said locks by means of pins 15 and 15 and slots 16and 16. y located opposite the inner end of the bolt 4 or 4 ofcooperating locks 2 .and 2.

Thev length of therod'13 and itsheads 14 and 14 is such that when one ofthe heads 14 or 14 is in contact with the adjacent face of registering.`bolt 4 or 4 whilethe latvter is in socket engaging position, the otherhead 14 or v14 of rod. l13 is a sufficient' distance fromthe registeringbolt 4 or 4 of its adjacent lock 2 or 2 tol permit the re Each head 14or 14 is traction 4of that bolt and the openingof the U door.V` In otherwords, when one of the bolts is retracted into door opening position itpushes back the rod l13 and brings vits opposite head 14 and 14 into aposition which holds in closing or socket engaging position the bolt'ofthe lock adjacent the last named head.

In each lock 2 or 2 is mounted ya bar 17 or 17 pressed back by spring 18or 18 and this bar Vacts onapbell crank lever y20 or 20 pivoted at 21 or21 andk having a nose 22 or 22 intended to engage the adjacent head 14yor 14 of the rod 13 in the position` inl which said rod audits .oppositehead pre- Lock 2 has a safety catch formed by a cross member 23 pivotedin the lock casing and actuated by spindle 24 of a finger piece 25. Thiscross member 23 is located between the bolt 4 and the head 14 of the rod13, these parts being provided with notches to receive the spindle 24;the said cross member may be moved into the transverse position shown inFig. 3 in which it permits the lock to operate, while when it is movedthrough o one of its ends acts directly on the bolt 4 of the lock 2 andthe other end acts, through the head 14, the rod 13 and the other head14, on the bolt 4 of the lock 2l As shown inFig. 7 the hinge elementssupporting the door are each formed of a vertical flat plate 26 providedwith two arms 27 pivoted at 28 in the stationary elements 29 fixed tothe uprights 40 of the body structure. The movable element 26 of thehinge has sockets 30 in which the bolts and 5 or4 and 5 of the upper andof the lower lock engage, and lugs 31 provided with seats 32 in whichkcentering cones 33 carried by the locks 2, 5 and '6) engage.

At the upper end, the hinge element 26 is formed with a square hook 34in which engages av corresponding lug 35 fixed to the edge of the doorand intended to hold the door in place.

In the Ythickness of the body structure, externally of the uprights 40to which the stationary elements 29 of the hinge are connected, isarranged a socke 36 in which is located a coil spring 37, which pressesat one end against the front wall of the socket 36 and at the other actson a movable head 38 to which is secured one end of a flexible rope orcord 39, the other end of which is connected with the movable Yelement26 of the hinge.

When the door 1 is closed as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the two hingeparts 26 located on the front and rear vertical edges of the door abutagainst the surface of the adjacent upright 40. The centering cones 33of the several locks engage in the seats 32 in the parts 26 and thebolts 4, 5 enter their sockets 30; moreover the lugs 35 on the door areengaged in the lugs 34 of the parts 26. The door is consequently heldrigid on the uprights 40 both on its front and rear edges and when thesafety lever 25 is in safety position the four locks 2, 2, 3, 3 are heldin closed position and the door cannot be opened.

Vhen door 1 is in this condition, bars 17 of the locks 2, 2 are heldwithin the casings of the corresponding locks by the opposite face ofthe corresponding part 26 and consequently noses 22 leave heads 14 and14 of the rod 13 free (Fig.

To open the door 1 for example by turning it about its rear edge in thedirection of the arrow -f in Fig. 2, after having removed the safetystop 25 the handle 41 of the upper front lock 2 is turned. The rotationof the spindle 6 retracts the bolt 4 and consequently actuates the bellcrank lever 8 and moves the rod 10 to retract the bolt 5 of the lowerfront lock 3.

At thesame time the bolt 4 of the upper front lock 2 on moving back actson the opy posite head 14 of rod 13 to move this rod towards theopposite lock 2', so that the rear head 14 of said rod holds the bolt 4of the upper rear lock 2 and consequently also the bolt 5 of the lowerrear lock in locked position. The door, while thus released from thefront hinge element 26,v remains connected to the rear hinge element 26,since 4the bolts 4, of the rear locks are in their sockets 30 and holdthe door engaged in the hinge element 26 by means of the centering cones33; the door may then turn with the hinge element 26 about its hingepins 28 (Fig. 5). y

Immediately the door is opened in the direction of arrow j", the bar 17of the front lock 2 is pressed outwards by spring 18 being no longerheld by the opposite surface of the hinge part 26 which remains againstthe upright 40. Under these conditions the bell crank lever 20, 22actuated by the said bar holds the head 14 of rod 13 in the positionshown in Fig. 4 and consequently holds in closing position the two locks2 and 3 at the edge of the door about which it turns, this conditionbeing secured during the whole of the time the door remains open.

The door turns as above stated about the hinge pin 28 of the rear hinge'element 26 with respect to the stationary elements 29. In this movementthe element 26 in turning about its hinge pins28 makes the flexible rope29 and the spring 37 operative, this spring tending to return the doorto closed position.

Vhen the door isclosed the bar 17 moves A back into the lock casing oflock 2 and re leases the rod 13 as also the bolts of the rear locks. Y y

, If it is desired to open the door at itsrear edge and thus to Vrotateit around its front edge (arrow r in Fig. 2), the rear lock 2Kisoperated after the safety lever 25y of the front lock 2 has beenreleased.

Then the operation is similar to that` described above, that' is to saythe bolts 4, 5 of the rear locks` are moved back under the action of thespindle 6, lever 7, arm 8 and rod 10 while the retraction of the bolt 4lof the lock 2 shifts the rod 13 which holds the bolt 4 of the frontupper lock 2 and through it also that of the front lower lock 3 inclosed position. l

When the door is open the bar 17 is displaced as above described inVlock 2 vand ber pivoted on said stationary member, a

holds the rod 13.in the position. inA which it holds the frontlocks Ainclosed position.. f,

i ,lVlien the door, -tuiiis about onefedge the door in engagement withthe movable hinge element, or may operate as ordinary bolts; it ispossible to turn the door about one or the other of its lateral edgeswhile the door remains automatically connected to the movable hingeelement with which it turns due to the automatic stops 17, 20, 22 whichcome into operation as soon as the door'is moved from its closingposition. l

Of course the described arrangement is given only by way of example kandthe present invention may be embodied in a plurality of constructionswithin the spiritiof appended claims.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by United StatesLetters Patents is:

l. A door structure for a vehicle body comprising posts in said body,hinges each 'comprising a stationary member fastenedon one of said postsand a movable member pivoted on said stationary member, a door, engagingmeans on each movable hinge member and cooperatin engaging -means on theregistering edge of said door, each of said movable hinge members havinga bolt socket, bolts located on opposite side edges of the door, eachbolt adapted to engage one of the said bolt sockets, means for boltactuation on eachy door edge, and means for locking a bolt on eitherdoor edge when a bolt of the other door edge is actuated for release..

2. A door structure for a vehicle body comprisingk posts in said body,hinges each comprising a stationary member fastened on one of said postsand a movable memdoor, engaging means on each movable hinge member andcooperating engaging means on the registering edge of said door, each ofsaid movable hinge members having a bolt socket, bolts located onopposite side edges of the door, each bolt adapted to engage one of thesaid bolt sockets and lock said engaging means of the respective movablehinge member and door edge in interon each door edge, and means forlookin a bolt on either door edge when a bolt o the other door edge isactuated for release. 3. A door structure for a vehicle body comprisingposts vin 'said body, hinges each comprising a stationary memberfastened.on one of said posts and a movable member pivoted on said stationarymember, means -resiliently holding keach movable member Y against itscooperating stationaryr member,

a door,l engaging means on each movable hinge member and cooperatingvengaging means on the registering edge of said door,

`each of said movable hinge members hav- .ing a boltsocket, boltslocated on opposite side4 edges of the door each adapted to en.-

gage onegof. the said bolt sockets, means for bolt.v actuation on eachdoor edge, and means for. locking a bolt on reither door edge-whenn vabolty at the other door edge is vactuated for release.

4. A doorystructure for `a vehicle body comprisingV posts in said body,hinges each comprising a stationary member fastened on one of saidlposts and a movable member pivoted on said stationary member, a door,

engaging means onl each movable hinge member and cooperatin engagingmeans on the registering edge o said door, each of said movablehingejlmembers having. bolt sockets, a plurality of bolts locatedon eachopposite side edge of the door and each adaptedto engage one of the saidbolt sock- Y ets, means interconnecting said bolts of eachdoor,edge,means for actuatingone of said bolts on eachdoor edge, andmeansv for locking at least one of said bolts Ofeither door edge when abolt'at the other door edge is actuated forrelease.V i

5. A door structure for a vehicle body comprising stationary membersl insaid body, movable'hinge members each pivoted on oneof said stationarymembers, a door, engaging 'means'on each'v movable hinge member yandcooperatin engaging means on theregistering edge of said door, each ofsaid movable hinge members having a bolt socket, bolts located onopposite side, edges ofthe door each adapted to engage one of the saidbolt sockets, means foil bolt actuation on each door edge, a lockingmember on eaclidoor edge for al bolt located on the opposite door edge,aspring moving said locking member'into bolt' locking position,

seV

and an extension on said locking member abutting on'the adjacentstationary memi ber to holdsaid locking member released e' each adaptedto engage one of the said bolt locking mechanism engaged with the hingesockets, means for joint actuation of the leaves When the door isclosed.

bolt on each door edge, and means for locking a bolt on either door edgewhen a bolt at the other door edge is actuated forI release.

7. A door structure for a vehicle body comprising posts in said body,hinges each'comprising a stationary member fastened on one of said postsand a movable member pivoted on said stationary member, a door, each ofsaid movable hinge members having a plurality of bolt sockets, boltslocated on each opposite side edge of the door and each adapted toengage one of the said bolt sockets, engaging means on each movablehinge member, and

means on the registering edge of said door cooperating with saidfirst-named engaging means on a line transverse to the line ofengagement of said bolts and sockets, means for bolt actuation on eachdoor edge, and means for locking the bolt on either door edge when abolt at the other door edge is actuated for release. n

8. The combination with a door and door frame, of permanently pivoteddouble-leaf hinges at opposite side edges of the door frame; one leaf ofeach hinge being fixed to the door frame and the other leaf being freeof the door; locking mechanism on the door edges for engaging the leavesof the hinges free of said door; and means for actuating the mechanismto simultaneously release the door from the hinge leaves at one edge ofsaid door and locking said mechanism with the hinge leaves at the otheredge of the door therewith.

9. The combination with a door and door frame, of permanently pivoteddouble-leaf hinges at opposite side edges of the door frame; one leafofeach hinge being fixed to the door frame and the other leaf being freeof the door; locking mechanism on the door edges for engaging the leavesof the hinges free of said door; means for actuating the mechanism tosimultaneously release the door from the hinge leaves at one edge ofsaid door and locking said mechanism with the hinge leaves at the otheredge of the door therewith; and means tensioning the leaves of thehinges.

10. The combination with a door and door frame, of permanently pivoteddouble-leaf hinges at opposite side edges of the door frame; one leaf ofeach hinge being fixed to the door frame and the other' leaf being freeof the door; locking mechanism on the door edges for engaging the leavesof the hinges free of said door; means for actuating the mechanism tosimultaneously release the door from the hinge leaves at one edge ofsaid door and locking said mechanism with the hinge leaves at the otheredge of the door therewith; means tensioning the leaves of the hinges;and means for sustaining the In testimony whereof we aflix oursignatures.

